This straightforward, practically minded handbook describes common psychological disorders and challenges experienced by some members of immigrant populations and details the stressors that commonly lead to mental and emotional difficulties. The authors cover major diagnoses likely to be seen in immigrant patients, as well as common behavioral manifestations such as anger, insomnia, and chronic pain, drawing on both their clinical backgrounds and their own experience as immigrants. Their aim: to guide professional peers, including policy makers and providers of frontline service, toward cultural competency with these populations while encouraging other immigrants to get appropriate support when they need it.

The authors exhibit a deep knowledge base, a passion for caring for immigrants, and a perspective not always represented among organizations, clinicians, and others who work with this population. They examine stressors specific to immigrants, such as acculturative stress, complicated grief for loved ones lost on the journey, and intergenerational trauma. Their insights on cultural expectations, barriers to treatment, and the intersection of mental health documentation and legal concerns of immigrants will be especially helpful to non-immigrant practitioners, and their reminder that common assessment tools have unspoken cultural biases is critical. Their broad gloss of common migration trauma emphasizes the universality of these experiences, independent of country of origin, but offering more specifics about current key populations would help practitioners start discussions with their clients from a more informed place. Case study sidebars and a comprehensive glossary may help community workers to build familiarity with the clinical side of services.

Despite the abundance of helpful information, the prose leans toward the didactic, and suffers for its split target audience: the descriptions of disorders sometimes present information at too basic a level for professionals, but could be overwhelming for lay readers. Still, this volume stands as an urgent intervention, illuminating crucial distinctions, laying out new approaches, and encouraging greater understanding.

Takeaway: A valuable resource offering psychological context for those who work with immigrant populations

Great for fans of: Claudia Kolker’s The Immigrant Advantage, Phyllis Marie Jensen’s A Depth Psychology Model of Immigration and Adaptation.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-